Categories:

Third-term Democratic Reps. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan are expected to look at running for the seat as well as State Auditor Hector Balderas, who in 2006 became the youngest Hispanic statewide elected official in the nation

An adviser to 2010 Democratic gubernatorial nominee Diane Denish told POLITICO she’s “fully exploring the contest,” as is Bingaman’s 2006 campaign manager and state USDA director Terry Brunner. Denish, a former lieutenant governor, would begin with a leg up on the two sitting congressmen because of her statewide name recognition and her ties to southern New Mexico.

Republicans are expected to make a serious play for the seat, with former Rep. Heather Wilson appearing to be the party’s top potential candidate.

While Wilson’s 2008 Senate primary loss to Rep. Steve Pearce drove up her negatives, she’s still considered to be a formidable fundraiser and could refurbish her profile as an independent-thinking moderate.

Pearce told POLITICO Friday it was too soon for him to even consider a race, but added that “obviously, it’s a calculation.”

“He served well and honorably and so let’s just take a day or two here and kind of relish the fact that we’ve had someone who would dedicate that kind of years of service to New Mexico,” Pearce said. “When we go home, we’ll sit down with staff and look at it. But we’re not in any rush.”

Tags:

Share this Article

Reader Comments (1)

Pages

1

Both Heinrich and Lujan started their second term in the US House last month - they would be wise to stay put and become third term Reps in 2012. Denish certainly looks like the best statewide candidate right now (and they are not easy to find). Governor Martinez may supply enough buyer's remorse to make it easier for Denish to withstand Cornyn's fire hose of out-of-state corporate "non-partisan" special interest negativity.